The 2015-16 Budget: Implementation of Proposition 47

On November 4, 2014, voters approved Proposition 47 which makes significant changes to the state’s criminal justice system. Specifically, it reduces the penalties for certain non-violent, nonserious drug and property crimes and requires that the resulting state savings be spent on (1) mental health and substance use treatment services, (2) truancy and dropout prevention, and (3) victim services. In this report, we describe the impact of Proposition 47 on state corrections, state courts, and the county criminal justice system, as well as the Governor’s budget proposals related to the proposition. We also provide recommendations for ensuring that the resulting state savings are spent in an effective manner.